It has long been recognized that water and other liquids can easily enter electrical outlets and receptacles and cause electrical shorts. This is particularly true where, for example, an electrical outlet is mounted to a horizontal surface. For that reason, such outlets, when placed for kitchen use, are located either vertically above or below the horizontal surface of a countertop. Any water or liquid situated on that horizontal surface would be incapable of penetrating the outlet located above the horizontal surface. In the case of a kitchen island or peninsula where there is no physical ability to place such an outlet or receptacle above the countertop, simply because there is no wall to locate in into, the only option is to locate the outlet or receptacle below the horizontal countertop. The lip of the horizontal countertop can provide an effective barrier against any water or liquid running off of the horizontal countertop and down into the outlet located below that horizontal surface. In this inventor's experience, however, such conventional placement of the electrical outlets and receptacles limits the ease of use of electrical appliances and devices in the kitchen. Such placement can create an obstruction with drawers and the like. It can also result in a violation of the National Electrical Code, in particular Article 210, Section 52, subsection C, items 2 and 3 (1996) thereof. The cords to the electrical appliances and devices can also hang over the edge of the countertop where passers by can snag them and even pull the appliances down from the countertop.